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AUSTIN — With a week left in the Republican primary runoff, the money race between District 88 candidates Rep. Jim Landtroop and challenger Ken King remains tight.

Landtroop, of Plainview, is relying heavily on donations from outside West Texas and King, of Canadian, on loans, mainly from his family.

Campaign contribution reports show Landtroop raised $48,048 during the first three weeks of July. Slightly more than half of that amount — $25,150 — came from two donors: Houston homebuilder Bob Perry with $15,000 and House Republican colleague Bryan Hughes of East Texas with $10,150.

Although King raised $15,930 during the same period — about a third of what Landtroop reported — he came out ahead in the latest report thanks to a $100,000 loan from his family plus a $25,000 loan from a family friend.

All candidates in the July 31 Democratic and Republican primary runoffs had to file contribution reports with the Texas Ethics Commission by Monday night. From Tuesday until July 31, any amount received will be reported daily.

Austin insiders consider it one of the hottest legislative contests and to them, what each candidate is doing is not surprising.

Landtroop is relying heavily on funds from outside the district because after last year’s redistricting he was placed in a district that includes only one of the 16 counties he currently represents, said Harvey Kronberg, editor of the newsletter Quorum Report.

“But he’s also an incumbent and they build loyalties with the legislators they work with during the session,” Kronberg said in relation to Hughes and other House Republicans — including Charles Perry of Lubbock and John Smithee of Amarillo — who have also contributed to the Landtroop campaign.

The same goes for rural candidates like King trying to unseat vulnerable incumbents or running for an open seat.

“It’s typical for prosperous families in rural districts to back one of their own or a family friend,” Kronberg said.

The winner of the Republican primary runoff in District 88 — which stretches from Lipscomb County to Yoakum County in the South Plains — is expected to be the next representative because no Democrat or third-party candidate is running for the seat.

In neighboring House District 68, the latest campaign finance report was totally different compared to previous filings.

For the first time since they filed with the Ethics Commission, Drew Springer of Cooke County outraised Trent McKnight of Throckmorton County. Springer raised $86,820 and McKnight $28,705.

Also, unlike previous filings, McKnight did not report any loans from his family while Springer reported a $5,000 personal loan. Despite outraising McKnight, Springer was low on cash. He had $11,463 left in his account while McKnight reported $73,166.

As in District 88, the winner of the District 68 Republican primary runoff is expected to be the next representative because no Democrat or third party candidate is running for the open seat retiring Rep. Rick Hardcastle, R-Vernon, has represented for 14 years.

Democrat Lanhon Odom of Montague County was removed from the ballot because he voted in the May 29 Republican primary. Rules for both major political parties stipulate that no candidate can vote in the other’s party’s primary.

Early voting in the Republican and Democratic primaries runs through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day. Election day is July 31.

Potter County voters can vote early in the ticket room on the first floor of the Santa Fe Building at Ninth Avenue and Polk Street. Randall County early voting is at the Randall County Justice Center, 2309 Russell Long Blvd. in Canyon, and the Randall County Annex, 4111 S. Georgia St.